Landslip fix delay fuels safety concerns

WITH the summer peak season rapidly approaching, the Aireys Inlet Fire Brigade is raising concerns about road safety in Fairhaven, where a landslip-affected embankment continues to cause problems.

The affected area, near the corner of the Great Ocean Road and Lialeeta Road, has experienced ongoing ground movement since a landslip in July saw significant cracks appear across the 100m slope.

Temporary traffic divisions have since been in place and the pedestrian path has been closed for months.

While upgrades to the road’s temporary gravel lane, new asphalt and fix bollards were recently installed to improve conditions, it followed weeks of outrage from locals about potholes, unclear lane markings and traffic diversions prone to movement in windy conditions.

 

 

 

It is understood several tourists and first-time visitors travelling the Fairhaven road found the previous diversions difficult to navigate and ended up driving on the wrong side of the road.

Brigade captain Adam Gilliver said the emergency volunteer service remains concerned that as traffic through the area increases, so too will the risk of a major accident.

“The last thing we want to see as an emergency service is a major accident there through there being such poor traffic management,” he said.

The potential consequences, he said, could be far more serious if the region experiences a fire event during the holiday period.

“The health and safety of our communities is paramount,” Gilliver said.

“It’s only going to take one person to make a mistake there and potentially clog up the road over the busiest period of the year.”

 

 

He acknowledged the steps the Surf Coast Shire had begun taking to improve the road conditions, but stressed ongoing maintenance would be required to get everyone safety through the coming months. The brigade also wants better lighting.

Initial investigations have suggested inadequate drainage and a potentially high groundwater table are contributing to the landslip, but remediation works are unlikely to begin until at least February.

Chris Pike, the shire’s general manager of placemaking and environment, confirmed the shire had now received the full geotechnical investigation report into the site and council officers are reviewing the results.

“We will let community know the preferred remediation option, including the expected timeline for the works,” he said.

 

 

 

“Landslips are highly complex, and all contributing factors need to be considered and understood before remediation works can start.

“Works to remediate the slope will likely require one traffic lane to be closed, so no works will be undertaken during the summer peak season.”

To maintain safety, Pike said, the temporary traffic arrangements will remain in place.

“We’ve recently undertaken repair works in the temporary gravel lane, including asphalting the lane and installing fixed bollards. This has been done in anticipation of the busier period.”